Internship Reflection Journal

Kelli Houston

Thursday, March 2, 2017

At todays meeting, Bill and I talked about my portfolio that I will be creating to culminate my
time in the program. I will be creating the portfolio on a web program. In my portfolio, I will
need to explain and showcase assignments and experiences that address the standards and
criteria. When putting my portfolio together, I need to make sure to address all of the standards
and criteria, although one assignment or experience may fulfill more than one criteria. In my
portfolio, I will need to provide artifacts. These artifacts may be assignments, agendas, forms,
reflections, pictures, and links. I also need to include a paragraph that explains my reason for
including the assignment or artifacts and how it meets the standard and criteria.

Bill and I also talked about my preparing the slideshow for our schools gala. I learned from the
experience that it is important to display and broadcast the people that make an impact in the
school. Putting this slideshow together really showed me what is important in a school: the
people who are in it. The slideshow really does something for the climate and culture of the
school. It highlights the positives. People can see older students working with younger students,
teachers working side-by-side with their students, the special events that take place throughout
the year, and the everyday moments that take place. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to
complete this task for the school. I feel that all schools should display pictures and slideshows on
their website, so the community can see the true spirit of the school.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Bill and I talked about my experiences as a fill-in administrator while Jeanne was gone last
week. I was able to take her spot and fulfill some of her duties in the afternoon on Monday
through Thursday. I told Bill about my experiences in the lunchroom and with the students in
detention. We both agreed that even though these are not the most exciting experiences, they are
important because it helps build relationships with the students. It is important for administrators
to expose themselves to these experiences so they can get to know as many students as possible.
It is not always easy for administrators to build positive relationships with the students because
they are not in the classroom with them all day, like the teachers are. When an administrator
builds positive relationships with the students, the climate and culture of a school thrives.

I also talked to Bill about an ELL meeting that I attended, and told him about the low turnout
with our Vietnamese families. We talked about how it is important to get to know these families
and take into account their culture when planning meetings. Many Vietnamese families work in
the evenings, so having a meeting at 5:30 was probably not a convenient time for most of them.
It would have been better for us to hold the meeting at a time that worked best for them. We
could have done this by surveying them to see when they would have been able to come. Bill and
I also talked about how important it is to have useful resources for our families that do not speak
English as their first language. We need to makes sure that we are trying to communicate as
clearly as possible with them. We can use resources that we have in our own community to try to
do this.

Bill and I also talked about the walk-throughs I conducted in my afternoons. I developed a sheet
that would track what instructional strategies are used in the classrooms. We talked about how it
is effective to visit the same classroom multiple times and to make sure that the classroom is
visited at various times throughout the day. The checklist I developed would help show the
trends in the school. It would also pinpoint what strategies are not being used as often. The
checklist would also show what teachers are strong with what strategies. These teachers could
then be used to model the strategies to the other teachers.

Lastly, Bill and I talked about a special education meeting I attended. I told him this was a very
rewarding experience because I was able to make so many connections to the special education
class in the program. It was a very rewarding experience to participate in and to see everything in
practice. Bill asked a lot about the background of the child, and this made me realize how
important it is to take into account when observing and evaluating a child, especially one that is
so young.

Monday, February 6, 2017

I began my afternoon interning as principal at lunch duty. I supervised first to eighth graders in
the lunchroom from 11:15 to 12:15. As students ate, I monitored around the cafeteria to makes
sure students were not being too loud, cleaning up after themselves, and having a good lunch. I
talked to students about their morning, what they were going to do at recess, and what they were
having for lunch. This is a great time to get to know all of the students in the building and build
those important relationships. It is also a great opportunity to be visible in the school and for
students to see you and know you are a visible figure in the school.

After lunchroom duty, I visited the study hall room we have available for middle school students
during recess. When I got there, I noticed there was no supervisor, so I stayed in the room until
12:30 to watch the students.

After eating lunch, I dropped in on some classrooms. I had to get some pictures for the gala
slideshow, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to get some pictures and see what was
happening in various classrooms. I dropped in on a fifth grade math lesson and saw students
working cooperatively to solve math story problems. I also saw second grade students working
on a reading lesson. The teacher was doing guided reading with a small group of students, while
the other students worked independently on a cause and effect activity. In the art room, eighth
grade students were forming skeleton of their paper mache figures. I also visited a first grade
classroom and observed while students learned about verbs.

In the evening, I attended an ELL meeting for parents of our Vietnamese students. We have an
ELL teacher that comes to our school on Wednesdays and provides services to our ELL students.
She wanted to hold a meeting to inform parents about the testing the students received and what
their scores mean, as well as discuss the types of services that would be provided to the students.
Only three out of 24 parents attended the meeting. An interpreter was also at the meeting, and the
three of us along with David Sowells discussed what we might do in the future to get a better
turnout. The interpreter explained that a lot of Vietnamese parents work at the time we held the
meeting, 5:30. She suggested that it would be better to hold a meeting either right after school
started or right after school got out because parents would be more likely to attend since they
were bringing or picking up their child and were already at school. We also thought about doing
phone conferences with an interpreter by scheduling a time that worked best for the parents. The
interpreter also looked at the letter that was from the State of Iowa that was to be send home with
the testing report for each student. She said that the letter would not make any sense to the
parents, and it would be better if we wrote our own letter and had her translate it.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

I again started my afternoon by supervising the lunchroom. After eating lunch, I worked on
developing a walk-through form I wanted to try to use to visit classrooms to get a sense of the
various teaching strategies that are used. I developed a simple form that would be easy and
efficient to use. I listed teaching strategies that we learned about at our beginning of the year in-
service, as well as effective strategies we identified in our Curriculum and Instruction class.

After I developed the walk-through form, I was able to try it out in two different classrooms. I
visited a fourth grade classroom during reading instruction time and a third grade classroom
during science. I found the form to be easy to use, and it provided important information on the
teaching strategies.

At the end of the day, I monitored the halls while students packed their bags and dismissed for
the day.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

This afternoon, I again monitored the lunchroom during the lunches of the various grades. I also
sat and ate with the three students who had a lunch detention and watched them until 12:30.

At 12:30, we had an all school assembly to recognize the students that earned a certificate for last
months Fruit of the Holy Spirit, which was self-control. At the assembly, the band played our
school song, a student read about this months Fruit of the Holy Spirit, kindness, and students
from each grade level received their certificate for self-control. I read the names of the students
that received the award and handed out their certificate to them in front of the school.

After the assembly, I watched Swing Choir rehearse their dance that they are doing for gala. I
then, recorded their dance so that parents, friends, and staff at our upcoming gala can view it.

After school, I attended a special education preschool meeting with a parent, the preschool
teacher, and our special education consultant from the AEA. At this meeting, the teacher and
consultant were meeting with the parent to discuss her child and the fact that he was not
progressing as much as they would like. They explained some test scores and observations to her
and asked her about what he is like at home and his past experiences. They also discussed
options for next year and if she would like her son to be evaluated to see if he qualified for
special education services. The mom ended up signing the agreement form for an evaluation, and
it was determined when that evaluation would take place and the next meeting was set up. It was
very interesting to attend this meeting and see a lot of the things we talked about in our special
education class. From what I can remember, the consultant followed all of the necessary
procedures and formalities, but was still very personable with the mom and explained things in a
way she could understand.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

For the last time this week, I supervised and monitored the lunchroom. I also sat and ate with the
two students that had lunch detention.

After lunch, I was able to visit more classrooms and practice doing more walk-throughs. I stayed
in each classroom for about fifteen to twenty minutes and observed the various teaching
strategies that were used.

I also visited the fifth grade classes that had a very special guest speaker who spoke about
African-American history. He was a very informative speaker who had a lot of information to
share with the students and presented many artifacts for them to view. The students seemed very
interested and engaged in the presentation. It seemed like a valuable extension to what they have
been learning about in class.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Today, Bill and I discussed a policy change we are implementing at our school. Previously, our
school had a No Late Work Policy, which stated that any assignment turned in late would
receiver zero credit, but it still had to be completed. The middle school teachers and
administration felt as though this policy needed to be changed because students were not
completing their assignments, and were therefore missing learning and applying new content and
skills. I facilitated the meeting and led the discussion on the new policy.

We started by brainstorming alternatives to the policy. We also discussed what we liked and what
worked with the current policy, and what we wanted the goal of the new policy to be. With the
current policy, we liked that students were held accountable and that it was successful with most
students. However, we wanted to see more success in our more challenging students. We wanted
them to have more of an incentive for completing the assignments, so they would benefit from
them and not fall farther behind. So, our goal for the new policy was to see more missing
assignments completed by students that were turning their work in late.

In order to accomplish this goal, we felt like we needed to offer some kind of incentive. A few of
the ideas we brainstormed included: allowing them to complete and turn in the assignment for
full credit by the end of the quarter, allowing them to complete and turn in the assignment for full
credit within three weeks, allowing them to complete and turn in the assignment for full credit
within one week, or allowing them to complete and turn in the assignment for partial deduction
each day it is late. We looked at the pros and cons of each idea, and ultimately decided to go with
the last option.

We rewrote the policy stating that each day an assignment is turned in late, it will receive a ten
percent grade deduction. We felt this was the best option because students would have an
incentive to still complete the assignment and turn it in as soon as possible in order to receive
some credit on the assignment. This option would also put a time limit on the extension though,
and students would not fall too far behind their classmates and would still be learning and
practicing the important skills in the right time frame.

This experience taught me that if something is not working, dont be afraid to change or tweak it
even though it has been in place for some time. I also learned that when a committee is working
together to change something, it is important to listen to everyones ideas and give everyone a
chance to share their opinions. I also learned that by compromising, you can usually make
everyone happy or at least satisfied with the decision. It is also important to keep in mind that
when making these kinds of decisions, everyone needs to be thinking about what is best for our
students because we want to make sure that our policies work for them and enable them to be
successful and achieve.

Bill suggested that it would also be a good idea to survey parents and maybe even students the
next time we look into making a policy change. It would be valuable to learn what they think is
working with the current policy, as well as what is not working. Their input could be used in the
decision making process as well, instead of just assuming what their wants and needs are.

Tuesday, December 6
Bill and I discussed an IRLF I had written for EDAD 560. The scenario was about a principal
who had an aide come to her claiming a teacher was not following protocol on administering the
Iowa Assessments. This situation was particularly difficult because, as the principal, I had lied to
the superintendent about not knowing anything about this situation, and I had not gone over
testing protocol this year, even though I signed off with the Department of Education that I had.

What I learned about myself from completing this IRLF is that I have a very guilty conscience. I
felt so bad about what I had done, that I found it difficult to punish the teacher, if it was found
she did do something wrong. Bill and I discussed that what she did was morally and ethically
wrong, so some sort of punishment would have been appropriate. The fact that I signed off that I
had gone over protocol was not as bad as her knowingly administering the test incorrectly. As a
veteran teacher, she should know how to administer the tests, and as a teacher, she should know
that it is ethically inappropriate to suggest answers to students and allow them to have extra time.
The fact that I did something wrong does not dismiss her wrongdoings. It would still be
appropriate to punish her, just as it would be appropriate for me to take any punishment from the
Department of Education or the superintendent.

Bill and I also discussed other ways I could investigate this situation to find out if the teacher is
in fact guilty of the testing accusations brought on by her aide. I had suggesting having students
complete a survey about their testing experience. Bill suggested that it might not be the best to
involve other students. Instead, I could ask the aide for specific students she saw this happening
to. I could interview them privately and separately to get their account of what happened during
testing time. I originally did not put this in my IRLF because I thought I would need to inform
parents that I was talking to their child. I felt like this would spread the news and then everyone
would know about it. Bill informed me that since the students were not accused of anything, then
it would not be necessary to inform the parents. Bill also suggested that I could ask the testing
agency to rush the testing results to me. I could then use test data as part of my investigation. I
could compare this teachers results to other teachers and previous years.

To avoid a situation like this happening in the future, Bill also suggested that I not allow teachers
to monitor their own classes during the testing process. I would assign teachers to different
classes. Teachers would not be monitoring their own students, and the likelihood of these kinds
of accusations could be eliminated hopefully.

Thursday, November 17

EDAD 560 IRLF was submitted instead of a journal reflection.

At our meeting today, Bill and I talked about my walk-through experience. I conducted eight
walk-throughs in various classrooms from grades kindergarten to seventh grade. The focus of the
walk-throughs was on effective instructional strategies. I used a form that was developed by
myself and four other members of our Curriculum and Instruction II class. I found the form we
created to be pretty easy to complete. I think that we had just enough items to look for on our
checklist. I think that if we had any more, then it would be overwhelming to try to pay attention
to what was going on in the room and fill out the form. I like how we had the Depth of
Knowledge Levels chart on the form. As I observed, I would underline the verbs that I noticed
were happening in the room. I think this protocol would provide us with more information rather
than just circling the number of the level. I also liked how we included the question for the
student to see if they could articulate their learning goal. This would help indicate if the objective
was clearly communicated or was just there but never noticed or referred to. Indicating which
students answered the questions and how could be another tool to add to the form. This would
help us to see how many students were able to answer the questions being asked and how the
students were selected to answer. It might also be helpful to note which kinds of formative
assessments were used throughout the lesson.

This experience taught me that doing walkthroughs is valuable and can provide a lot of
information about the trends that are taking place in a school. I found it challenging to only stay
in a classroom for five to ten minutes. I found myself wanting to stay longer to see how the
lesson would end. I do see the purpose of only staying in the room for five to ten minutes though.
First of all, by only staying in a room for a brief period of time, the principal has the opportunity
to experience more classrooms and to complete walkthroughs on a consistent basis. I also think
that if I would have stayed in the classroom for the whole lesson, then I would start evaluating
the teacher more, which is not the purpose of walkthroughs. I like that I was limited in time to be
there, so I just focused on what we put to look for on our walkthrough form. When planning for
walk-throughs, it is important to have a schedule. You want to make sure you see all teachers
multiple times and at various times of the day. Some teachers, you may want to walk-through
more often than others.

Walk-throughs need to be used effectively. The findings need to be shared with the staff. When
presenting these findings, it would be useful to focus on what you did see happening and what
positives are out there. You want to promote the good things you saw and get the message across
that you want to see it happening in all classrooms. Communicate that you want to see more of
this. After pointing out the strengths, talk about areas of growth that need to take place. Teachers
can also be a part of the decision making when looking for what areas need to be improved and
what steps can be taken toward those improvements. The findings of the walk-throughs should
also be used to determine professional development. Administrators should notice which areas
need growth, and look for ways to promote that growth through the professional development
opportunities provided to teachers. Administrators should also look to the teachers to provide
professional development. Effective teachers should be given the opportunity to showcase their
lessons and the instructional strategies that they are using in the classroom. Teachers can best
learn from each other. Teachers are experts and know best about what their school can do with
what they already have.

Thursday, October 20

After observing in classrooms and meeting with teachers to discuss my observations, I have
learned many things about myself as an instructional leader. I learned that when observing, it is
better for me to try to watch as much as possible and then jot down my notes. I feel that if I try to
write down too much while the teacher is teaching the lesson, then I miss how students are
reacting and interacting during the lesson. It was better if I wrote down specific things I wanted
to remember, but then wait until the lesson was over to write down the majority of my notes. I
also learned that while observing it is important to make sure you are solely focused on what is
going on. There is so much to see during a teachers lesson, so if my mind was in a different
place, I would miss something. In regards to note-taking, I also learned that I need to improve in
this area. I think it is a good idea for in the future to categorize my notes while I am taking them.
This will help me when I go to analyze my observations and meet with the teacher.

When I would go to analyze my notes, I would think about what the positives of the lesson were,
and I would also look at what areas could be improved. To do this, I would often think back to
the workshop we had at the beginning of the year on how to reach all learners. I would write in
my suggestions based on the strategies and resources we learned about. When I would go to meet
with the teachers for their post-observation conference, I would try to talk less and have them
talk more. I discovered that at first this was unnatural for me. The more I did it though, the more
comfortable I became. By the third conference, I felt like I was more fluid and had better
questions to ask the teacher to help them reflect on their lesson. I found that it is much more
beneficial for the teacher if they uncover the weak spots in their lesson and come up with ways to
improve their instruction.

At this meeting, Bill and I also talked about an article he shared with me about middle schools.
From this article and our discussion, I learned that middle school principals have an important
and challenging job of making sure they create the right culture. Middle schools usually strive
when they feel smaller and students are able to connect with their teachers and build the
appropriate relationships. Students also want to feel that they are safe and secure in the
environment. One way to accomplish this is through advisory groups, where each student is
assigned to a teacher. These small groups would meet daily to share their thoughts and feelings in
a safe environment. In any middle school, it is also important for all of the teachers to share a
common understanding, language, and passion. This is best accomplished when teachers meet
regularly in interdisciplinary teams and have the time to collaborate about instruction.

Bill and I also discussed how new teachers are being prepared to teach in their own classroom. It
seems that most new teachers feel that if they use the teachers manual, they are following good
practice. It seems that many are unaware of how to develop and expand on what the teachers
manual has to offer. Many times what is presented in the teacher manuals do not include
interactive, hands-on activities that require the students to use higher-level thinking and
reasoning. As an instructional leader, it is important to closely monitor all teachers to make sure
they are implementing new strategies that will reach all of their students and are implementing
high-quality instruction. To do this, the instructional leader must monitor their teaching and be
highly visible in all classrooms. Instructional leaders also need to provide opportunities for their
teachers to collaborate and share ideas to improve all teachers instruction.

Thursday, October 6

On Tuesday, October 4, our principal and assistant principal were out of the building, so I was
left in charge of the school and to take over their duties for the day. I was very excited for this
opportunity, but a little nervous because I know that unexpected problems can arise throughout
the day.

My first task of the day was to talk to two seventh grade students about an inappropriate drawing
they were caught with. I have these two students in class, so I think it helped that I already had
developed a relationship with them. I felt that they were open and honest with me. We turned the
whole experience into a lesson. I believe they now know the right thing to do if they are ever in a
situation like this again. This experience taught me how important it is for even the principal to
develop relationships with the students. I understand it is not going to be as easy because there
are so many students in a school, but I believe it is important for the principal to be as visible as
possible. Principals should try to get to know every student and spend as much time in the
classrooms as possible to develop these relationships.

The next thing I did during my day as principal was visit a second grade classroom during
reading instruction. As I observed the lesson, I paid close attention to the types of questions the
teacher asked and how the students responded. It seemed as though the teacher followed the
teaching manual and asked the questions that were presented in it. These questions tended to be
comprehension questions and didnt really get to a higher level of thinking. The teacher did ask
some additional questions which made the students analyze, synthesize, and draw conclusions. I
think that if more of these questions were asked, the students would have a deeper understanding
of the story and what was happening. I did feel like the teacher had good wait time, and I liked
how she prompted students if they were struggling with the question. She also called on most of
the students in the small group she was working with, but I feel there could have been more
engagement if the students had a white board and all were required to write a response. I also
like how she had the students read in mixed groups so the stronger readers could model to the
lower readers.

Next, I visited a fifth grade classroom and observed a math lesson. I feel the lesson could have
been a lot more engaging. As I observed, I noticed a lot of students that were disengaged and not
paying attention to the lesson. I think the students would have been more engaged if they were
required to do more. While checking the previous days assignment, it would have been nice to
see students up at the board showing how they solved the problem or using individual white
boards to show what they did. The students could have also shared in their groups how they
solved the problem, and then a student from each group could report out to the whole class what
they discussed. Also, during the lesson, it would have been nice to see the teacher use
supplemental resources to help teach the new material. The teacher just had the workbook pages
on the smart board and went through them with the students. It would have been nice to see the
teacher use visuals and more hands-on activities to help the students understand the lesson better.

Also on my duty list for the day was supervising the cafeteria during lunch. I learned that this is a
great time to get to know the students. It was actually a fun experience to walk around the
cafeteria, help open up pudding cups, and chat with the students about their day. I think this is a
wonderful way for principals to get to know the students better and develop those important
relationships.

After lunch, I observed a kindergarten math lesson. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this lesson
and getting to see what it is like in a kindergarten classroom. Even though the kindergarten
teacher is required to teach out of the same math series as the other teachers in the building, this
teacher did a wonderful job of incorporating supplemental resources. To go along with her lesson
on three dimensional objects, the teacher had a poem, a song, a video, and real-life examples of
the three dimensional shapes. She also demonstrated excellent wait time. After she would ask a
question, she would tell the students to put their finger on their nose once they know the answer.
Once most of the students were touching their nose, she would call on a student to answer the
question. I think this teachers way of teaching really helped to reach all learners, even those that
might struggle. She used visuals, let the students have discussions, and connected the material to
their real lives.

Overall, I was very pleased with my day. I got to visit classrooms and observe ways that other
teachers teach. I got to talk with students that I had never talked to before. The day went very
fast, and I was happy that I was able to keep busy and feel useful.

Thursday, September 22
When Bill and I met today, I showed him the survey I developed for teachers. I developed a
survey that would indicate what strategies teachers are using to reach all students and examples
of how they are using the strategies. This survey would help me see what strategies are being
used most frequently at each grade level. Since the teachers would also say different ways they
use the strategies, I could compile them into a bank for teachers to use. I think this would be a
helpful reminder for the teachers about the workshop we had at the beginning of the year.
Hopefully, it would also be a good resource for teachers to use to try different ideas in their
classroom from what other teachers have done.

I also showed Bill an observation form I found for doing classroom observations. The form had a
lot of good qualities, but might need some tweaking. Bill suggested that when I do set up a
classroom observation with a teacher, for me to ask them what they would like me to look for.
Then I would have something specific to be looking for. After I observe and the teacher and I
meet, we could discuss what I thought about what they wanted me to look for, and I could also
share additional information about what else I was able to observe.

Bill suggested that instead of trying to observe every teacher, to select three to four and observe
them multiple times. Also, when I meet with them post observation, it should be more of a time
for them to reflect on their teaching. They should talk eighty percent of the time, I should talk
twenty percent of the time. I should ask them how did they think it went and what would they
have done differently. Those types of reflective questions will help them think more about their
teaching. Also, to make it seem like I am not above them, it is important for me to invite them
into my classroom to observe me as well.

Thursday, September 8

On Thursday, September 8, I met with Bill to discuss the beginning of my internship and the
beginning of the school year. I reflected on what we did as a school for the beginning of the
school year and how we started off the year. I talked to Bill about the workshop we had on our
first day of in-service. Lori Benson Adams from Atlanta, Georgia presented on 101 Tips, Tools,
and Strategies for Reaching All Children. I shared with Bill that the presentation was very
beneficial and informative. All teachers were able to learn about how the brain works, where and
how learning occurs in the brain, and about the brain with ADHD, Dyslexia, and Autism. We
were also provided with many strategies and tips for how to reach all learners in all subject areas.
I felt like this was a great way to start the year. All of our teachers, the new and the not-so-new,
would have a full toolbox they could utilize in their classrooms. I also feel that it got us thinking
about all of our students and the differences that we encounter in the classroom. I felt that by
having this information fresh in our minds, we would begin the year using these new strategies
and reaching all of our learners.

As I talked to Bill about this experience, he had some questions for me to ponder. He asked if we
communicated to parents and the community the great training all teachers received. This made
me realize how important it is to communicate these great successes to everybody. Tis
experience was talked about in a newsletter, but I feel like it could have been communicated
more. I think this would be something that could go on our website and scroll across our
marquee so more people know about it.

Bill and I also talked about the follow-up on this new knowledge that teachers were gaining. Bill
asked how this was going to be monitored to see if teachers were actually utilizing the strategies
that were learned and which ones are successful. I told him that I did not know of any follow-
ups, but that this would be something I would be interested in monitoring during my internship. I
could create an observation form and visit various classrooms looking for implementation of the
strategies. I could also talk with teachers to see which ones they have tried and which have been
successful. If teachers have not tried the strategies, I could ask them why and see if there are
ways to assist them or help them incorporate them into their instruction.

Bill and I also talked about how important communication is. I told him about the situation we
had at our school on a hot day. We were waiting to hear from Assumption if we were having a
two hour early dismissal and if the buses were arranged. We did not get this information until
late, so, therefore, we were unable to notify our families until a couple hours before dismissal. At
times like this, it is key to have effective communication skills. Parents were notified through
bulletins, a phone call, and email. The principal also sent out an email explaining the reason for
the early release and why the notification came so late.

Bill and I also talked about my new position as an eighth grade teacher. As an eighth grade
teacher, I have many more responsibilities. There is a lot of planning, organizing, and scheduling
that goes into being an eighth grade teacher. We try to provide our eighth graders with a lot of
experiences and opportunities while teaching them responsibility at the same time. I am really
looking forward to working with the eighth grade students this year. We have four new students
to our school. It has been a wonderful experience to see how they have been accepted by our
students and are starting to feel more comfortable with being here. I believe it is important for
the principal of a school to make sure the new students are having a pleasant experience and
adjusting well to their new environment.